 There
is no better way to enjoy the beauty of Plumas
County than by exploring it first-hand and on
foot. Whether you take a leisurely stroll or a
strenuous hike, you'll experience the
magnificence of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade
ranges along an extensive system of hiking
trails. Here’s a look at some of the most
accessible ones:
Dogs are welcome (leash preferred) on
all National Forest hiking trails. Within
Plumas-Eureka State Park, dogs are only allowed
on the Grass Lake trail, and dogs are not
allowed on hiking trails in Lassen Volcanic
National Park.
About 80 miles of the
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT)
stretch across Plumas County, with elevations
ranging from 2,400 to 7,000 feet. This famous
west coast trail, open to foot and horseback
traffic only, encompasses a total of 2,650 miles
from Mexico to Canada. The Plumas County section
can be accessed 10 miles west of Chester, at
Belden in the Feather River Canyon, at Bucks
Summit on Bucks Lake Road, off Big Creek Road
near Bucks Lake, along the Quincy/La Porte Road,
and in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area.
The Almanor Basin offers a myriad of hiking opportunities, including
the paved Lake Almanor Recreation Trail that
follows the west shore of the lake. The
Almanor area also is close to some magnificent
hikes within Lassen Volcanic National Park and
the nearby Caribou Wilderness Area.
The Feather River Canyon affords hikers the opportunity to hike near
one of the most beautiful waterways in the
state, as well as to marvel at many of man’s
engineering feats. In the Bucks Lake
Wilderness Area, one trail follows the lake
while another takes hikers to remote mountain
lakes higher up.
The Indian Valley area has self-guided
nature walks pleasant for families and seniors,
including the Round Valley Lake Nature Walk near
Greenville and the short hike to spectacular
Indian Falls. Intermediate hiking trails are
located off the road to Antelope Lake, including
a trail between Antelope and Taylor Lakes.
 The
Lakes Basin Recreation Area in the
southeastern part of the county near Graeagle
has hundreds of great hiking trails, including a
loop trail that leads past nine mountain lakes.
Ambitious hikers can climb to the top of the
Sierra Buttes, Mt. Elwell or Eureka Peak,
while others may prefer a less strenuous stroll
to Madora Lake, located within Plumas Eureka
State Park.
 Before
you set out, click on the image to the right to
download a copy, or
contact us for a free copy of the Plumas
County Hiking Guide, which offers more detail on
the most popular hikes, including the trail
length, difficulty and approximate hiking times.
The guide is also available at local visitor
information centers, or by calling the Plumas
County Visitors Bureau at (800) 326-2247.
Two locally-authored guidebooks on area
hiking trails also are available for sale.
For detailed information and maps on all of the available trails in
the area, call the Plumas National Forest
(530) 283-2050 or the Lassen National Forest
(530) 258-2141. For Plumas County Trails
Master Plan updates go to the
Trails for Plumas County website. If you’re going on one of
the more remote trails, it’s best to bring
along a compass and a forest service map.
For topo maps and further information on
specific hikes in Plumas County check out
wildernet.com. For information
about trail restoration contact
Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship.
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